It made its largest gain since January on Sunday, rising 1 percent, to ease away from Thursday's 10-month closing low amid a regional upbeat trend after euro zone leaders agreed to directly recapitulating the bloc's banks.

The kingdom's index, the main equity benchmark in the world's top oil exporter, climbed 0.2 per cent to 6,718 points, up for a second session in three since last week's five-month low.

Brent crude fell towards $96 a barrel on Monday on the weak factory data from China, while doubts also remain over an EU debt deal that had helped oil prices post their fourth biggest daily gain on record on Friday.